VCU student to attend international meeting of Nobel Laureates

By Anna Goroncy
University News Services

The National Science Foundation has appointed a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate student to a U.S. delegation traveling to the 57th Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany.

Jennifer Patterson, a graduate assistant in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, is the second VCU student to receive the honor. Patterson will visit the island city of Lindau July 1-6, where she will interact with Nobel laureates from around the world, learning about their research and careers. She also will have the opportunity to share news of her research with other young scientists in the delegation.

“I am really excited. It’s not everyday you get to meet people you’ve looked up to for your whole scientific career,” Patterson said.

Since 1951, Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics and medicine have met with students from various countries annually in Lindau to discuss their research and issues of importance in their fields. This year 20 Nobel laureates will meet with 500 young scientists from across the globe.

Patterson is studying biofilms in the lab of Kimberly Jefferson, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

“I’m thrilled that Jennifer was selected to attend the Nobel laureate meeting, and I’m beaming with pride. She definitely deserves the honor. She’s really a fantastic graduate student, full of enthusiasm and drive, and I think that the experience will bolster her ambitions even further,” Jefferson said.

Patterson is interested in characterizing biofilms, a type of bacterial growth of complex groups of microbes marked by the ability to stick together and to surfaces. Biofilms can contain many different types of microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, protozoa and algae, with each group performing specialized metabolic functions.

By understanding these characteristics, researchers could apply the knowledge to develop treatments and strategies to combat diseases such as bacterial vaginosis, chronic sinusitis, urinary tract infections and dental plaque, all of which have been linked to biofilms.

The program is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Mars Inc., the National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Institutes of Health and Oak Ridge Associated Universities.